Joshua 1
Christian Standard Bible
Encouragement of Joshua
1 After the death of Moses(A) the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun,(B) Moses’s assistant: 2 “Moses my servant is dead.(C) Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan(D) to the land I am giving the Israelites. 3 I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads,(E) just as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon(F) to the great river, the Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites(G)—and west to the Mediterranean Sea.(H) 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.(I) I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.(J)
6 “Be strong and courageous,(K) for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance.(L) 7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.(M) Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth;(N) you are to meditate on[a] it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.(O) 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?(P) Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua Prepares the People
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’”(Q)
12 Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh,(R) 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.’(S) 14 Your wives, dependents, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your best soldiers must cross over in battle formation[b] ahead of your brothers and help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance(T) and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant(U) gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”
16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. 17 We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly the Lord your God will be with you, as he was with Moses.(V) 18 Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!” (W)
Joshua 1
International Children’s Bible
God’s Command to Joshua
1 Moses was the servant of the Lord. Joshua son of Nun was Moses’ assistant. After Moses died, the Lord said to Joshua: 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now you and all these people go across the Jordan River. Go into the land I am giving to the people of Israel. 3 I promised Moses I would give you this land. So I will give you every place you go in the land. 4 All the land from the desert in the south to Lebanon in the north will be yours. All the land from the great river, the Euphrates, in the east, to the Mediterranean Sea in the west will be yours. This includes the land of the Hittites. 5 Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. No one will be able to stop you all your life. I will not leave you. I will never leave you alone.
6 “Joshua, be strong and brave! You must lead these people so they can take their land. This is the land I promised their fathers I would give them. 7 Be strong and brave. Be sure to obey all the teachings my servant Moses gave you. If you follow them exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Always remember what is written in the Book of the Teachings. Study it day and night. Then you will be sure to obey everything that is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything. 9 Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. So don’t be afraid. The Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go.”
Joshua’s Orders to the People
10 So Joshua gave orders to the officers of the people. He said, 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan River. You will go and take the land the Lord your God is giving you.’”
12 Then Joshua spoke to the people of Reuben, Gad and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. Joshua said, 13 “Remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord, told you. He said the Lord your God would give you rest. And he said the Lord would give you this land. 14 Now the Lord has given you this land east of the Jordan River. Your wives, your children and your animals may stay here. But your fighting men must dress for war and cross the Jordan River ahead of your brothers. You must help your brothers. 15 The Lord has given you a place to rest. He will do the same for your brothers. But you must help them until they take the land. This is the land the Lord their God is giving them. Then you may return to your own land east of the Jordan River. That is the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you.”
16 Then the people answered Joshua, “Anything you command us to do, we will do. Any place you send us, we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, we will obey you. We ask only that the Lord your God be with you just as he was with Moses. 18 Then, if anyone refuses to obey your commands or turns against you, he will be put to death. Just be strong and brave!”
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
